A new creation, a new opportunity and a new attitude have blended in a unique and remarkable way, and to reflect the gift of grace and with faith as its cornerstone. This revelation and offering of salvation were exclusively the product of a new and living way in the name and person of Jesus Christ. In the comforting and confirming words of Christ himself: “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the father, but by Me.” (John 14:6).
Though Christ imparted words of comfort, peace and hope during His earthly ministry, His purpose and mission for being sent to save a wicked and sinful world, ultimately, would deliver Him into the hands of the enemy. Subsequently, He would be harassed, brutalized, tortured and finally suffer the agony of crucifixion on a Roman cross. Of course, such vicious and inhumane atrocities would be overshadowed and simply pale in comparison to the greatest miracle and demonstration of power ever witnessed: The Resurrection of Jesus Christ!!! Jesus even predicted that He would be raised from the dead on the third day, as He also predicted His crucifixion: “From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that He must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed and be raised again the third day.” (Matthew 16:21).
The Call of the Apostle Paul
In the case our beloved apostle Paul, his new beginning came when he came to the end of himself, and thus was commissioned as an apostle by the risen Lord. Now, such an expression is nowise foreign to those who have been called to serve as members of the household of faith, or the church. In the interest of clarity, what this denotes is a willful, sacrificial and volitional denial of oneself. If you examine it carefully, this is in harmony with the condition given by Jesus: “And he said to them all, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23). In other words, I must forget about myself, I must lose sight of myself, my own interests, unrestrained indulgences, or those things that I truly value. Then, I must persist, and with an unyielding discipline, in doing precisely what I previously described over, and over again! This is no less than the adoption of a new life style. Paul offers another perspective, but nonetheless satisfying the requirement: "...He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:6).
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ was the catalyst for Paul’s preparation, preaching the gospel and penning a significant portion of the New Testament. His extraordinary and, I’ll venture to say, legendary commitment to the cause of Christ took him on three missionary journeys and planting churches in the process. It has even been proposed, and by some, that Paul even completed a fourth missionary effort. That is, his journey from Caesarea to Rome has been considered. However, I’ve yet to come across any concrete evidence, so I’ll leave it at that. Nonetheless, such a commitment overwhelmingly qualifies Paul as one being “sold out” for Christ. The following passages certainly seem to suggest this: “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,” (Philippians 3:7-8).
The above should serve as an example or model for all who have come to know, love and live Christ. In the Scriptures contained in 2 Corinthians 11:23-33, Paul is essentially illustrating a grim but graphic glimpse into a season of sacrificial service, conflict, intense suffering and near-death experiences. These qualify as prerequisites for the fulfillment of his mission and ministry (or, and once again, for the cause of Christ).
A Case for Grace
"And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." (2 Corinthians 12:7-9).
Despite Paul’s appeal to Lord to remove this flesh-based affliction, the Lord responded by infusing Paul with His grace, which would empower him spiritually to endure the fiery trials ahead. Paul was being conditioned to live a crucified life. In other words, it was absolutely essential that he die to himself. Then, and only then, could he live the resurrection life in Christ: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20).
It is necessary, NO, it is obligatory, that we, too, live a CRUCIFIED life. A crucified life is a prerequisite for living the RESURRECTION life, whereby the power and presence of CHRIST is on full display and manifesting the work of His abounding GRACE in and through us. Grace is, in fact, synonymous with A NEW BEGINNING: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
We have now arrived at a place where I will share an experience that inspired today’s message, and that God may be honored and glorified:
I was blessed with the privilege and the opportunity of having been utilized as an instrument of the Spirit of God Almighty. This experience occurred about two weeks ago, and during episodes of severe, ongoing and unpredictable side effects/withdrawals associated with a prescribed medication. I was being treated for an upper respiratory dysfunction caused by a bacterial infection that had been identified as uncommon and difficult to diagnose/treat. However, and even at this juncture, the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and a new beginning were in the process of being revealed.
I vividly recall the morning in question. Typically, and during these episodes, mornings were unique because they had literally distinguished themselves as times of overwhelming dread, delivering fierce bouts of discomfort, disturbances and seemingly inevitable and yet inescapable anguish in its wake. As I had become accustom to the custom of waking up, but not possessing the energy, desire nor the capacity to get up! I had become sorely and consistently complacent over time, and overcome by my willingness to settle.
In the midst of adversity swirling about me, and again, on the morning in question, I experienced something miraculous and supernatural: I was taken to the end of myself. This brought about the beginning of my being raised from my bed, and not under my own power mind you. The utter conflict of misery, a weakened state and the discouragement associated with my condition became secondary, and was gradually rendered completely benign and powerless. It was then supplanted by the power of the sufficiency of "AMAZING GRACE". The battle was no longer mine, but the Lord's: "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;" (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)
What a blessing that was now underway, as the Lord began to show Himself strong. I obediently embraced His leading me and guiding me to my desk and to His Word (the Bible). I then proceeded by reading each and every Gospel account of the BURIAL and RESURRECTION of Jesus Christ:
Matthew 27:57-66, 28
Mark 15:42-47, 16
Luke 23:50-56, 24
John 19:38-42, 20, 21
Finally, and as I began to ponder and recall the joy and peace of the Lord's unspeakable and divine providence, it occurred to me that I had bypassed the Gospel accounts of the CRUCIFIXION. Almost instantaneously the Lord granted me the Spiritual understanding that I might see, as the act of self-denial secured the demise of any other alternatives. As the apostle Paul expressed in 2 Corinthians 12:15 and in so many words, I was spent, and had been spent. Specifically, I was granted the following truths of this glorious experience: the CRUCIFIXION was symbolic of purification or cleansing, the BURIAL was symbolic of dying or denying self, and the RESURRECTION symbolized the infusion of power I needed to prevail over the weakness of the flesh, and to reinforce and stir up the winds of GRACE: A NEW BEGINNING. What a magnificent, humbling and unforgettable revelation!
My hope, my beloved, is that today's message will serve you well, bless you richly and inspire you to new depths of humility, sacrifice and service to the Living and Life-giving Lord Jesus Christ!
"The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise Him." (Psalm 28:7)
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